Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether issues in regard to EEC subsidy rules have been a factor in the closure of the abattoir in Stornoway; what plans it has to address any concerns which the Scottish Crofters Union and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals may have about the consequences of the closure of the abattoir, and what action it intends to take to prevent the loss of this facility.

Ross Finnie: The European Community state aid framework exists to ensure a level playing field for all enterprises in Europe by ensuring that public bodies throughout the European Union do not provide selective support to businesses or undertakings. Aid cannot be given unless it fits one of the block exemption regulations or is notified to, and approved by, the European Commission. This aid cannot take the form of an "operating aid" or provide support for an enterprise that would otherwise fail. My officials have been working with Western Isles Council to help them identify legitimate ways in which they could help Heather Isles Meats in Stornoway stay in business. The decision whether to invest further in Heather Isles Meats rested with the council and a full meeting of the council concluded that it should not provide further support to the business under a rescue and restructuring package.

  In the interests of sustainable farming, it is important that there are profitable markets for livestock whether that is abattoirs or other farmers to finish the animals. While only one-third of livestock from the Western Isles is slaughtered on the Islands, the council remain fully committed to retaining slaughterhouse facilities throughout the Western Isles and are looking at how this aim can best be met.

  Neither the Scottish Crofters Federation nor the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have approached the Executive.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many men (a) were diagnosed and (b) died from prostate cancer in each year from 1996-97 to 2000-01 inclusive, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table 1 shows numbers of cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in Scotland by year of diagnosis and NHS board area between 1996 and 1998, the most recent year for which cancer registration figures are available. Results are presented by calendar year for consistency with published data.

  Table 1

  


NHS Board


Year




1996


1997


1998




Argyll and Clyde


165


132


132




Ayrshire and Arran


124


141


135




Borders


71


62


55




Dumfries and Galloway


64


43


54




Fife


174


148


131




Forth Valley


149


130


91




Grampian


223


193


221




Greater Glasgow


320


295


267




Highland


71


108


123




Lanarkshire


176


177


178




Lothian


363


312


289




Orkney


10


8


5




Shetland


11


5


11




Tayside


169


156


151




Western Isles


10


15


19




Total


4,096


3,922


3,860




  Source: Scottish Cancer Registration database, ISD Scotland, April 2002.

  The following table 2 shows the number of men dying from prostate cancer in each year between 1996 and 2000, the most recent year for which cancer death details are available from GROS. Results are presented by calendar year for consistency with published data.

  Table 2

  


NHS Board


Year




1996


1997


1998


1999


2000




Argyll and Clyde


75


57


46


73


66




Ayrshire and Arran


62


44


44


60


58




Borders


26


24


25


27


22




Dumfries and Galloway


24


21


26


28


27




Fife


53


55


62


60


46




Forth Valley


42


43


33


31


44




Grampian


73


85


80


84


78




Greater Glasgow


106


107


109


109


127




Highland


35


30


39


44


45




Lanarkshire


71


62


53


65


73




Lothian


99


98


82


107


111




Orkney


1


3


5


2


5




Shetland


3


4


3


5


1




Tayside


70


69


67


66


69




Western Isles


3


6


3


8


1




Total


2,739


2,705


2,675


2,768


2,773




  Source: GROS, April 2002.

  Notes:

  1. Asymptomatic prostate cancer can remain dormant and undetected until death from other causes intervenes. Incidence has increased considerably since 1990, and some of this increase will be due to increasingly common incidental findings of small tumours in the prostate during surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

  2. A steep increase was observed between 1992 and 1993 which is associated with the introduction of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for diagnosis and disease monitoring leading to increased detection of prevalent cases. Incidence is slightly inflated in 1996 due to the introduction of a standard definition of incidence date across Scotland. There was a fall in incidence in 1997. A similar pattern of increased incidence followed by a fall following the introduction of the PSA test has been seen in England and Wales, and has also previously been seen in the USA.

  3. Mortality from prostate cancer has remained constant throughout the 1990s.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the years from 1991-92 to 1996-97 inclusive were still alive five years later, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Patients diagnosed in 1995 are currently the most recent period for which five year survival figures are available.

  The following table show the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in each year from 1991 to 1995 inclusive and how many were still alive five years later, by NHS board area. Figures are presented by calendar year for consistency with published data.

  


Year


NHS Board


Number Diagnosed


Alive 5 years later




1991


Argyll and Clyde


89


25




Ayrshire and Arran


69


22




Borders


24


10




Dumfries and Galloway


42


14




Fife


76


31




Forth Valley


110


61




Grampian


128


51




Greater Glasgow


189


70




Highland


52


25




Lanarkshire


102


43




Lothian


176


70




Orkney


4


1




Shetland


8


1




Tayside


100


39




Western Isles 


16 


7 




1992

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Argyll and Clyde


95


29




Ayrshire and Arran


78


21




Borders


35


12




Dumfries and Galloway


35


9




Fife


97


35




Forth Valley


98


46




Grampian


139


59




Greater Glasgow


189


65




Highland


52


25




Lanarkshire


96


29




Lothian


184


77




Orkney


8


2




Shetland


3


0




Tayside


101


47




Western Isles


6


 0




1993
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Argyll and Clyde


104


32




Ayrshire and Arran


94


34




Borders


36


12




Dumfries and Galloway


62


26




Fife


110


48




Forth Valley


120


62




Grampian


162


66




Greater Glasgow


226


85




Highland


65


32




Lanarkshire


114


40




Lothian


221


95




Orkney


12


6




Shetland


9


3




Tayside


138


66




Western Isles


3


1




1994
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 



Argyll and Clyde


138


43




Ayrshire and Arran


86


34




Borders


34


17




Dumfries and Galloway


61


18




Fife


121


53




Forth Valley


91


50




Grampian


167


72




Greater Glasgow


228


80




Highland


62


28




Lanarkshire


104


36




Lothian


265


127




Orkney


9


4




Shetland


5


1




Tayside


135


56




Western Isles


5


2




1995

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Argyll and Clyde


127


50




Ayrshire and Arran


92


28




Borders


51


24




Dumfries and Galloway


63


27




Fife


126


53




Forth Valley


94


47




Grampian


177


83




Greater Glasgow


222


90




Highland


76


30




Lanarkshire


128


59




Lothian


237


109




Orkney


3


0




Shetland


6


2




Tayside


133


62




Western Isles


9


1




  Source: Scottish Cancer Registration database, ISD Scotland, April 2002.

  Notes:

  1. Asymptomatic prostate cancer can remain dormant and undetected until death from other causes intervenes. Incidence has increased considerably since early 1990, and some of this increase will be due to increasingly common incidental findings of small tumours in the prostate during surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

  2. The steep increase between 1992 and 1993 is associated with the introduction of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for diagnosis and disease monitoring leading to increased detection of prevalent cases. Incidence has been falling since 1997. A similar pattern of increased incidence followed by a fall following the introduction of the PSA test has been seen in England and Wales, and has also previously been seen in the USA.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff have been trained as cervical smear takers under the new liquid based cytology screening pilot project.

Malcolm Chisholm: Four hundred and ninety-two NHS cervical smear taker staff in Lanarkshire, Grampian, Highland and Tayside NHS Boards have been trained to use liquid based cytology, under the Liquid Based Cytology Screening Pilot project.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards are currently targeting areas of low breast cancer screening uptake.

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which geographical areas have a low uptake for breast cancer screening against set targets.

Malcolm Chisholm: All NHS boards are responsible for promotion of the breast screening programme aimed at raising awareness particularly in areas of low uptake. The percentage of eligible women in Scotland in the age range 50-64, who accepted a routine invitation to attend breast screening in 2000, was 73% (minimum uptake target 70%).

  In 2000-01 Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Lothian Health Boards were below the minimum with uptake rates of 66.1%, 69.3% and 69.7% respectively. A range of promotion activities are undertaken by the NHS boards to encourage women within low uptake areas such as more mobile screening units in inner city deprived areas, localised media campaigns and information in GP surgeries.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women over 70 have been screened for breast cancer since January 2001.

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women over 70 have requested screening for breast cancer since January 2001.

Malcolm Chisholm: Women over the age of 70 are not routinely invited for breast screening but may self refer. In 2000-01 1 , the latest year for which data are available, the number of women over the age of 70 who were screened following self referral was 2,985.

  Note:

  1. Scottish Breast Screening Programme Provisional data April 2000 to March 2001.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the pilot screening for colorectal cancer for people between the ages of 50 and 69 in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) Grampian NHS board areas and in what month it expects the pilot scheme to report back to the UK National Screening Committee.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish arm of the UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot targeting people between the ages of 50 and 69 in Tayside, Fife and Grampian NHS Board areas, which commenced in March 2000 is progressing well. One complete round of screening and relevant investigatory work is scheduled to be completed in all three board areas by February 2003.

  The independent Evaluation Group, which is evaluating the feasibility, practicality and acceptability of the pilot screening programme, is due to report to the National Screening Committee in early spring 2003.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has, and over what timescale, to introduce a population based prostate cancer screening programme based on the prostate specific antigen test.

Malcolm Chisholm: At present the test and treatment for prostate cancer does not meet requirements for an effective screening programme. The Scottish Executive is committed in  Cancer in Scotland Action for Change (ISBN:1 84268 915 0) to introducing a population based prostate cancer screening programme, if and when new research leads to screening and treatment techniques being sufficiently developed.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the results in Scotland of the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer.

Malcolm Chisholm: The European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer is not a Scottish Executive study. Research findings of this type may be presented at scientific meetings and are normally also available through publications in relevant medical journals and/or on appropriate websites.

  It is expected that the findings of the study will be considered by the National Screening Committee in due course.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the multi-disciplinary prostate cancer working group on its review of referral, management and treatment of people with prostate cancer, as well as any recommendations the group makes to the Scottish Cancer Group, will be published.

Malcolm Chisholm: The final draft of the report prepared by a working party set up by the then Scottish Cancer Group (SCG) was considered by them at their last meeting in June 2001.

  It was agreed at that time that although a start had been made, a great deal of further work was required to develop an evidence based framework as a possible foundation for any necessary improvements in prostate cancer services.

  This issue will be reconsidered by the current SCG.

Civil Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any concern has been expressed to it by the Civil Service Commissioners in regard to any appointment made by it since May 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Civil Service Commissioners have not expressed concern in regard to any appointment made by the Scottish Executive since May 1999.

Civil Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested the Civil Service Commissioners to routinely monitor the appointments it makes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is subject to regular audit by the Civil Service Commissioners in relation to posts below Senior Civil Service level. The last such audit took place in March 1999. Approval of individual appointments by the Commissioners is required for appointments in the Senior Civil Service (apart from appointments of less than 12 months).

Civil Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any complaints regarding its adherence to the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Code.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am not aware of any complaints regarding the Scottish Executive’s adherence to the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4876 by Ms Margaret Curran on 14 March 2002, what training will be provided to ensure that the respect project is successfully rolled out to schools and how any such training will be funded.

Ms Margaret Curran: The issue of the provision of training and how such training will be funded forms part of the discussions I am holding with other ministers on how the Executive will proceed with the "roll-out" of the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust’s "Respect" materials to schools.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been undertaken on projects funded by the Domestic Abuse Development Fund from its inception to March 2002 and when the results of any such evaluation will be available.

Ms Margaret Curran: The National Group on Domestic Abuse is committed to tackling the key actions set out in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland . Monitoring the fund and undertaking an assessment of the impact upon improving local provision is one of these key actions and will be discussed at the next meeting of the national group, to be held next month, when the draft specification for the assessment will be considered. We will make the results available when the assessment is complete.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out, or intends to carry out, any research and monitoring for the presence of plutonium in the sea spray on the west coast of the Western Isles.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive itself does not undertake monitoring of radioactivity in the environment. A comprehensive environmental monitoring programme for radioactivity in Scotland is carried out by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

  The objectives of this programme include the determination of levels of man made radionuclides in the environment, and the assessment of their effects on human health and the environment.

  Full details of the monitoring and the assessment of radioactive pollution in the Western Isles are published annually in the Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE) report. A copy of the latest report (RIFE-6) has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 20376).

European Funding

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place concerning the implementation of the Objective 1 programme and how much has been paid to projects under this programme.

Peter Peacock: Following the success of the Objective 1 Programme that operated between 1994 and 1999, the Prime Minister secured agreement for a special programme for the Highlands and Islands in March 1999. The Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme for 2000-06 was approved by the commission in August 2000.

  Although the Programme Management Executive, based in Inverness, is responsible for the implementation of the programme we have regular contact with partners through committees.

  To date grants to the value of about £85 million have been approved for projects under the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme, this figure reflects the activity under way by approved projects.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards fund intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment for infertility.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the NHS boards which currently fund ICSI treatment:

  


NHS Board


ICSI (Yes/No)




Argyll and Clyde NHS Board


No




Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board


Yes




Borders NHS Board


Yes




Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board


Yes




Fife NHS Board


Yes




Forth Valley NHS Board


Yes




Grampian NHS Board


Yes




Greater Glasgow NHS Board


Yes




Highland NHS Board


Yes




Lanarkshire NHS Board


Yes




Lothian NHS Board


Yes




Orkney NHS Board


Yes




Shetland NHS Board


Yes




Tayside NHS Board


Yes




Western Isles NHS Board


Yes

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment for infertility will be available in NHS board areas where such treatment is not currently funded.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24462 today, which shows that all NHS boards, except Argyll and Clyde NHS Board, now fund intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment on the NHS. NHS boards were asked to work towards implementation of the recommendations of the EAGISS report, which published in February 2000, within existing resources. Argyll and Clyde NHS board are currently reviewing their progress in implementing the recommendations of the report and this review will include the issue of funding ICSI treatment.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what options are available to patients wishing to access intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment for infertility in areas where the treatment is not currently provided by the NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: IVF is funded in all NHS board areas and may offer an alternative where ICSI is not available.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the application from Shetland Seafood Auctions Ltd for grant aid under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme for the development of an electronic auction in Lerwick was received; when the company was notified that its application had been successful; when the application for the payment of the grant accompanied by the necessary proof of payment receipts was received, and when the grant was paid.

Ross Finnie: An application from Shetland Seafood Auctions Ltd. for grant aid under FIFG was received by the Executive on 21 February 2001, in advance of the closing date for applications of 31 March. Rhona Brankin announced the outcome of bids on 24 July and the company was formally offered grant by letter dated 10 August 2001. A first, interim claim for payment of grant was submitted to the Executive on 28 November 2001 and supporting documentation, requested by the department, was received on 7 February 2002. Grant was paid in to instalments – 75% on 19 March and, following a satisfactory physical inspection of the project by a Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department surveyor, the balance on 16 April 2002.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to recipients of grants under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme on the maximum time between the receipt of a valid application for a grant and the issue of grant and whether the interest charges accrued during this time can be claimed by recipients of grants in circumstances where payment is late.

Ross Finnie: Claimants are advised that an initial claim check will be undertaken within 30 working days of receipt by the department. No deadline is set for payments, which inevitably depend on auditing claim forms and supporting documentation and, in most cases, a physical inspection of the project involved. The need to arrange the inspection programme cost-effectively means that there can be some delay in inspection visits, particularly in remote areas. The Executive, therefore, pays 75% of an eligible claim as soon as it is satisfied with the claim and supporting documentation. The balance of the claim is paid within 10 working days of receipt of a satisfactory inspection report. The relevant EC Regulations preclude reimbursement for any financial charges accrued pending payment.

Health

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities it has for ensuring that people resident in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency have access to in-patient provision across all NHS specialities and what action it has undertaken to guarantee the availability of such services in each of the last twelve months.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24364 on 16 April 2002.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of (a) neurosurgery beds, (b) neurosurgery intensive care beds and (c) specialist neurosurgery staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: These are matters for local health care systems in the first instance, guided by advice from relevant professional bodies. Decisions on these issues will to some extent also depend on the work currently in progress on configuration of neurosurgical services across Scotland.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the proposed Shetlands Islands Council housing stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: Shetland Islands Council is currently developing a transfer proposal in consultation with tenants and a prospective landlord organisation called Shetland Homes.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16823 by Jackie Baillie on 2 August 2001, what the current status is of the proposed transfers of Scottish Homes properties to other landlords

Ms Margaret Curran: Scottish Homes has just over 3,000 houses still in ownership. Of these, some 1,200 have been successfully balloted and scheduled to transfer in April/May this year. Transfer proposals are being finalised for the remaining estates, with ballots scheduled later in the year. This is with the exception of Govan, which is subject of a management contract and Windlaw, Castlemilk, where tenants are pursuing transfer under the tenants choice scheme.

Internet Services

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to stop unsolicited pornographic pictures, adverts for pornographic sites and e-mails advertising pornography appearing on the internet.

Mr Jim Wallace: The regulation of the internet is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998. However, the criminal law is devolved and the general position in law is that what is illegal off-line is also illegal online. The statutory provision on the display of obscene material and indecent photographs of children is contained in sections 51 and 52 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill will increase the maximum penalties available to the courts for offences under the 1982 act.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review how victims of crime and their families are treated by the criminal justice system.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve communication between the police, the procurator fiscal service and the victims of crime and their families.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to place a statutory obligation on the police, the Crown Office and the courts system to ensure that the victims of crime and their families are given essential information relating to their case.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is demonstrating its continuing commitment to victims and their families within the criminal justice system through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Victims . The strategy has been developed by the main criminal justice agencies with the objectives of improving support and information for victims as well as increasing opportunities for victims to participate in the criminal justice system. Each of the agencies has published an action plan to support the strategy and implementation is monitored by the Victims Steering Group, a multi-agency forum which promotes the interests of victims and their families within the justice system.

  As a result, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has established the Victim Liaison Office to improve the availability of information about the progress of individual cases reported to Procurators Fiscal for victims and bereaved next of kin. The police have also resolved the data protection issues in relation to passing information to Victim Support Scotland to make it easier for victims of crime who wish it, to get the support they need.

  In addition, the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill includes provisions to give victims certain rights to improve the position of victims and their families in the criminal justice system. Thus certain victims of crime, if they wish it, will have a statutory right to be informed of an offender’s release from prison; to make representations to the Parole Board before a decision is taken on the release of a prisoner, and to receive information about the outcome of Parole Board reviews and licence conditions. The Executive also plans to pilot a scheme which will allow victims to make a statement about the impact of the crime to better inform decisions.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make the criminal justice system more transparent.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is continually looking to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and we seek wide public involvement in this work.

  Lord Bonomy, for example, placed press advertisements seeking views on his review of the High Court and the committee chaired by Sheriff Principal McInnes that is reviewing summary justice has recently issued a consultation paper seeking views from those working in the criminal justice system and from the wider public.

  Ministers have announced their intention to establish an independent Judicial Appointments Board whose role will be to make recommendations to the First Minister about the appointment of all new Judges and Sheriffs. The board will have equal numbers of lay and legal members.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its Policy Memorandum on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, on what grounds it is satisfied that the provisions in the bill on access, community ownership and crofting community ownership are compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has been aware from the outset that many of the provisions in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill would require to be formulated carefully to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. Ministers consider that the provisions in the bill achieve that outcome, and that there are no grounds on which it could successfully be argued that there is incompatibility with the convention.

Legal Aid

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to introduce scale fees for junior counsel appearing in the sheriff court in legally aided cases.

Mr Jim Wallace: Fees for junior counsel in criminal proceedings in the sheriff court are prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1989. Legal aid fees for junior counsel undertaking civil work in the Sheriff Court are prescribed in Regulation 10(2) of the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1989. This is 90% of the amount of fees, which would be allowed for that work on a taxation of expenses between solicitor and client, third party paying, if the work done were not legal aid.

  My officials are in discussion with the Scottish Legal Aid Board about the need for a detailed table of legal aid fees for counsel involved in civil cases in the sheriff court.

Legal Aid

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the Scottish Legal Aid Board considers that a block fee regime would encourage additional usage of the courts in civil legal aid matters and what evaluations have been undertaken on this matter.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Legal Aid Board is by statute an independent body. It is not for Scottish ministers to speak for the board on its opinions. This question should be raised with the board. However, I await proposals from the Law Society of Scotland on fees for civil legal aid work.

Legal Aid

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Legal Aid Board has undertaken a comparative exercise on the value of work now being performed under the Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, applying Schedule 1 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1989 and, if so, what the results were.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive will commission an independent research project into the impact of fixed payments in the course of this year.

Legal Aid

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what categories of children are eligible for legal aid.

Mr Jim Wallace: Legal aid is available to any child as long as the matter is one of Scots law, the child meets the relevant statutory tests and the court or tribunal concerned is prescribed in the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986, or relevant subordinate legislation.

Local Government

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 review group will be published.

Peter Peacock: The independent task group, set up by ministers to review the licensing provisions contained in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, will consult on their emerging findings shortly. It is anticipated that the task group will report to ministers with its recommendations following that consultation, later this year.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, for each local authority, what percentage of the authority’s bills from contractors and suppliers were paid at least 30 days from the due date for payment in the last year for which figures are available.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is given in table 5 of the Accounts Commission report, Performance Indicators 2000/2001: Benefits, Finance and Corporate Issues , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18782).

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital debt was owed (a) by each local authority and (b) per capita in each local authority area on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Peter Peacock: The following table shows the total and per capita amount of capital debt owed by each local authority and joint board as at March 2001:

  


 


All Services Debt
(£000)


All Services Debt
per head (£)




Scotland


9,899,031


1,935




Aberdeen City


373,660


1,769




Aberdeenshire


361,270


1,590




Angus


103,083


944




Argyll and Bute


224,112


2,524




Clackmannanshire


74,789


1,543




Dumfries and Galloway


273,794


1,878




Dundee City


281,582


1,973




East Ayrshire


185,952


1,542




East Dunbartonshire


118,116


1,066




East Lothian


137,440


1,506




East Renfrewshire


88,466


985




Edinburgh, City of


838,208


1,849




Eilean Siar


174,924


6,436




Falkirk


196,882


1,364




Fife


487,617


1,392




Glasgow City


2,062,048


3,384




Highland


542,934


2,603




Inverclyde


216,077


2,554




Midlothian


93,360


1,136




Moray


151,020


1,778




North Ayrshire


197,152


1,420




North Lanarkshire


436,390


1,332




Orkney Islands


21,313


1,094




Perth and Kinross


148,290


1,110




Renfrewshire


288,751


1,632




Scottish Borders


209,477


1,960




Shetland Islands


56,036


2,497




South Ayrshire


160,285


1,407




South Lanarkshire


451,600


1,469




Stirling


154,028


1,807




West Dunbartonshire


186,592


1,972




West Lothian


194,643


1,242




  


 


All Services Debt
(£000)


All Services Debt
per head (£)




Scotland


9,899,031


1,935




Central Fire


7,988


29




Dumfries and Galloway Fire


5,472


38




Fife Fire


8,341


24




Grampian Fire


13,428


26




Highland and Islands Fire


15,251


55




Lothian and Borders Fire


19,154


22




Strathclyde Fire


47,498


21




Tayside Fire


8,436


22




Central Police


6,412


23




Dumfries and Galloway Police


9,296


64




Fife Police


16,218


46




Grampian Police


10,513


20




Lothian and Borders Police


20,938


24




Northern Police


19,706


71




Strathclyde Police


53,433


24




Tayside Police


12,314


32




Forth Bridge


0


0




Tay Bridge


13,277


 n/a




Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority


121,465


54




  Source: As reported by councils/joint boards in the CDO2001 (capital debt outstanding) return.

  Note:

  All services debt consists of debt from general fund services (relevant and non-relevant), trading services and housing revenue account.

NHS Finance

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when Forth Valley NHS Board will receive details of its financial settlement for the next three financial years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Forth Valley NHS Board was notified of its indicative revenue allocations for 2002-03 and 2003-04 on 6 April 2001. A firm revenue allocation for 2002-03 was notified to the board on 7 February 2002. Indicative allocations for future years will be considered following the outcome of Spending Review 2002.

NHS Waiting Lists

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died while on a waiting list for cardiac surgery in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000 and 2000-01 broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-3569 on 21 January 2000, which stated that 67 people died while on the waiting list for cardiac surgery in the year ending 31 March 1999. The information for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 is being collected, and I will write to the member as soon as it is available, and place a copy in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting time is for (a) coronary artery bypass grafts and (b) other cardiac surgery, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts and Other Cardiac Surgery, by NHS board of residence, for the year ended 30 September 2001, are given in the following table:

  Median Waiting Times1 for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts and Other Cardiac Surgery2, by NHS Board of residence. Year Ended 30 September 2001P

  

 

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts


Other Cardiac Surgery




NHS Board


Median Wait (days)


Median Wait (days)




Argyll and Clyde


69


43




Ayrshire and Arran


68


57




Borders


92


104




Dumfries and Galloway


58


46




Fife


84


85




Forth Valley


86


134




Grampian


35


91




Greater Glasgow


65


53




Highland


103


96




Lanarkshire


64


73




Lothian


89


88




Orkney


64


131




Shetland


32


41




Tayside


82


105




Western Isles


70


58




Scotland


70


76




  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  P Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. Patients routinely admitted from the in-patient/day case waiting list (excluding transfers).

  2. Patients are defined using operation codes taken from the Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures 4th Revision (OPCS4). CABG has been defined using principal procedure code K40-K46; Other Cardiac Surgery has been defined using principal procedure code K25-K35.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for cataract operations for the most recent period available in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for cataract removal, by NHS board of residence, for the year ended 30 September 2001, are given in the following table:

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times1 for Cataract Removal2, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ended 30 September 2001P.

  


NHS Board


Median Wait (days)




Argyll and Clyde


124




Ayrshire and Arran


183




Borders


64




Dumfries and Galloway


114




Fife


120




Forth Valley


110




Grampian


158




Greater Glasgow


99




Highland


73




Lanarkshire


218




Lothian


83




Orkney


175




Shetland


85




Tayside


83




Western Isles


153




Scotland


106




  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  P Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. Patients admitted from the in-patient/day case waiting list. Excludes transfers.

  2. Patients are defined using operation codes taken from the Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures 4th Revision (OPCS4). Cataract removal has been defined using principal procedure code C71-C75 and a diagnosis of H25, H26, H28.0, H28.1 or H28.2 from the International Classification Of Diseases 10th Revision.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is between being referred by a General Practitioner to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic and the first consultation at the clinic, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a Consultant in ENT following referral by a General Medical Practitioner or General Dental Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence in the year ended 30 September 2001, are given in the following table:

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant In ENT, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner/General Dental Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ended 30 September 2001P.

  


NHS Board


Median Wait (days)




Argyll and Clyde


46




Ayrshire and Arran


61




Borders


61




Dumfries and Galloway


65




Fife


46




Forth Valley


54




Grampian


75




Greater Glasgow


70




Highland


52




Lanarkshire


80




Lothian


55




Orkney


36




Shetland


42




Tayside


76




Western Isles


57




Scotland


62




  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  P Provisional.

Police

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5228 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 March 2000, what the additional direct costs associated with the abolition of Crown Exemption for police properties were in 2001-02 and what the estimated cost is for 2002-03.

Mr Jim Wallace: Outturn information on the additional direct costs associated with the abolition of Crown Exemption for police properties in 2001-02 is not yet available.

  The total additional amount estimated for non-domestic rates for police properties in 2002-03, based on figures provided by forces, is £10.4 million. This amount was included in the distribution of GAE for that year. The breakdown by force is shown in the following table.

  


Force


Additional estimated costs 2002-03
(£ million)




Central


0.4




Dumfries and Galloway


0.3




Fife


0.8




Grampian


1.1




Lothian & Borders


1.7




Northern


0.7




Strathclyde


4.5




Tayside


0.9




Total


10.4

Public Appointments

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18802 by Angus MacKay on 19 November 2001, whether the information given in that answer is comprehensive and accurate given the article in the Scotland on Sunday on 24 March 2002 referring to a failure to compile details of the political affiliation of appointments to non-departmental public bodies and whether it has any plans to amend that answer.

Mr Andy Kerr: As I made clear in the answer to question S1W-20118 on 26 March 2002 and in a letter to the member, a recent audit of data on political activity of current members of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), discovered that in most cases the correct procedures for recording details of political activity had been followed. However, I regret to say that it also discovered that in 411 individual cases, the political activity declaration had not been completed.

  The missing political activity declaration forms do affect the aggregate information about the political activity of appointees serving on NDPBs sponsored by the Executive, which was published in answer to question S1W-18802. Because records on individual appointments going back to 1996 are incomplete, we are unable to publish an amendment to that answer.

  I am extremely concerned that the correct procedure was not followed by officials in every case and have raised this matter with the Permanent Secretary. He has, in turn, instructed the Heads of the Executive Departments to ensure that the correct procedures are followed in every respect in future.

Public Transport

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from whom the land was acquired to extend the park and ride facilities at Croy Station as announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002; whether this land was purchased or gifted and, if purchased, what costs were involved in total and broken down into the land price and associated charges, and what the date was of completion of the sale.

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where the extended park and ride facilities at Croy Station announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 will be located, detailing the agencies and processes employed in deciding this location.

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any alternative location was considered other than that chosen for the extended park and ride facilities at Croy Station announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 and whether it will detail each alternative site and the reason for the chosen location being preferred in each case.

Lewis Macdonald: The first phase of the extension of park and ride facilities at Croy Station will be constructed on land belonging to North Lanarkshire Council north of the railway and east of the B802 and will remain in the council’s ownership. This site was chosen by Strathclyde Passenger Transport because it could be developed quickly to meet the immediate need for additional park and ride opportunities.

  Options for siting the second phase of the extended park and ride facilities will be considered by Strathclyde Passenger Transport and North Lanarkshire Council in consultation with Railtrack, ScotRail and landowners. This will form part of a detailed study before any decision is taken on the location and nature of the second phase.

Public Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with local authorities in Strathclyde to enable free transport for elderly people to be introduced this year.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has reached agreement with COSLA to enhance existing concessionary travel schemes on a voluntary basis, in order to provide free local off-peak bus travel within existing concessionary scheme areas from 1 October 2002. We expect the Strathclyde Concessionary Scheme Joint Committee to ratify that position later this month.

Public Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the construction work on the bus station at St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, will be completed.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council. However, I understand that the new bus station should be open to the public in the autumn of this year.

Rail Services

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has for increasing the number of passenger miles travelled on railways and what progress is being made in respect of any such targets.

Lewis Macdonald: We have no such targets at present.

Roads

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Performance Audit Group and Scott Wilson Scotland Limited include herbicide use as a factor to be assessed in their monitoring of the contractors maintaining trunk roads.

Lewis Macdonald: Yes. Both the Performance Audit Group and Scott Wilson Scotland monitor the use of herbicides by the trunk road Operating Companies and Autolink Concessionaires (M6) in accordance with contract requirements.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21675 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002, whether it intends to carry out any research in order to determine what percentage of student debt is a consequence of the introduction of the student loans system.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We will consider commissioning a survey of the income and expenditure of Scottish students once the new student support system has bedded in.

Tourism

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how VisitScotland will guarantee that all tourist organisations will have equal access to the website and national telephone number for e-tourism Ltd.

Mike Watson: The Joint Venture Partnership has not yet been agreed. However, it will be a key condition that all tourism businesses will have equal access to the website and the national telephone number. The new company’s business plan, which will require the agreement of VisitScotland and the Area Tourist Boards, will contain this condition. Changes to the Business Plan will also require the approval of these organisations.

Tourism

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will prevent "cherry-picking" of high commission tourist destinations under the arrangements for e-tourism Ltd.

Mike Watson: It is proposed that the rules on access will prevent "cherry picking". For example, e-tourism Ltd will not be able to highlight special offers for individual businesses on its home page and protocols on fees and charges and commission rates will be agreed in advance between e-tourism Ltd and the ATBs/VisitScotland.

Tourism

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a private company will have the majority control of the proposed e-tourism Ltd and what safeguards will be in place to ensure that such a company cannot control access, in order to disadvantage competitors, to the website and national telephone number of e-tourism Ltd.

Mike Watson: It is proposed that the private sector will have majority control of the company. However, there will be a wide range of contractual safeguards in place to control the actions of the company and to ensure that it does not act against the public interest. These will include, for example, the requirement for the ATBs/VisitScotland to approve the company Business Plan and any subsequent changes to it.

Tourism

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the level of public investment in the proposed e-tourism Ltd, along with any public share in the profits generated by the company.

Mike Watson: It is proposed that the public sector will invest as follows: VisitScotland £956,250 (12.75%) and Area Tourist Boards £918,750(12.25%). After the initial investment, no further funding of e-tourism Ltd will be required from the public sector. Any profits from the joint venture (which will be dependent on how the company performs) will be shared with the public sector in the same proportions.

Tourism

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all those consulted about the structure, powers and funding for VisitScotland’s proposed joint private sector venture e-tourism Ltd.

Mike Watson: The principle elements of the joint venture have been widely publicised – not least in the Scottish Executive’s Strategy for Tourism , published in February 2000. The joint venture is subject to a full EU procurement process and a prospectus for the project was published in June 2000. A project board has guided the project and has made strategic decisions on behalf of the public sector stakeholders. The board includes representatives of the Area Tourist Board (ATB) network, which represents around 16,000 tourism related businesses. ATBs have provided information about the project to their members, and VisitScotland has provided information in its Signpost magazine as well as meeting with trade organisations. The detail of the project has been developed during negotiations with the preferred bidder and it has therefore not been practicable to consult widely on any specific points.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Recycling

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer what percentage of the Parliament’s (a) waste paper and (b) waste plastic was sent for recycling in each year since May 1999-2000

Sir David Steel: The Parliament recycles approximately eight tonnes of waste paper per month. However, it is not possible to express this figure as a percentage as we do not have an equivalent measure of the waste paper that is not recycled.

  It is estimated that 90% of plastic cups from vending machines are recycled each month. The Facilities Management Office is currently discussing options for recycling other waste plastics with its recycling contractor, LEEP (Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Partnership).